Use these identifying pronouns practice questions to review subject, object, possessive, reflexive, demonstrative, indefinite, relative, interrogative, and reciprocal pronouns. The final question also distinguishes a possessive pronoun from a possessive determiner.
Topics Covered
- Subject pronouns
- Object pronouns
- Possessive pronouns
- Possessive determiners
- Reflexive pronouns
- Demonstrative pronouns
- Indefinite pronouns
- Relative pronouns
- Interrogative pronouns
- Reciprocal pronouns
Sample Questions
Maya said she would arrive early.
- A. Maya
- B. Said
- C. She
- D. Early
Show Answer
She is a third-person singular subject pronoun. It serves as the subject of the verb phrase would arrive.
Maya is a proper noun, said is a verb, and early is an adverb.
The coach handed the forms to them after practice.
- A. Handed
- B. Forms
- C. To
- D. Them
Show Answer
Them is a third-person plural object pronoun. It functions as the object of the preposition to.
Handed is a verb, forms is a noun, and to is a preposition.
That blue umbrella is mine.
- A. Blue
- B. Umbrella
- C. Is
- D. Mine
Show Answer
Mine is a possessive pronoun because it replaces a noun phrase such as my umbrella.
A possessive pronoun stands on its own rather than appearing directly before a noun.
Leo blamed himself for the mistake.
- A. Leo
- B. Blamed
- C. Himself
- D. Mistake
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Himself is a reflexive pronoun because it refers back to the subject, Leo.
Leo is a proper noun, blamed is a verb, and mistake is a common noun.
Those belong on the shelf near the window.
- A. Those
- B. Belong
- C. Shelf
- D. Near
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Those is a demonstrative pronoun because it points to particular things and stands in place of a noun.
When a demonstrative directly modifies a noun, as in those books, it functions as a determiner instead.
Someone left a jacket outside the classroom.
- A. Someone
- B. Left
- C. Jacket
- D. Outside
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Someone is an indefinite pronoun because it refers to an unspecified person.
Left is a verb, jacket is a noun, and outside functions as a preposition in this sentence.
The scientist who presented the findings spoke clearly.
- A. Scientist
- B. Who
- C. Presented
- D. Clearly
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Who is a relative pronoun introducing the clause who presented the findings.
The clause modifies the noun scientist.
Who called during lunch?
- A. Who
- B. Called
- C. During
- D. Lunch
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Who is an interrogative pronoun because it asks about the identity of a person.
Called is a verb, during is a preposition, and lunch is a noun.
The two teammates encouraged each other before the competition.
- A. Two
- B. Teammates
- C. Encouraged
- D. Each other
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Each other is a reciprocal pronoun because it expresses a mutual relationship between the two teammates.
Two is a number functioning as a determiner, teammates is a noun, and encouraged is a verb.
Their project won the award, but ours received honorable mention.
- A. Their
- B. Project
- C. Ours
- D. Received
Show Answer
Their is a possessive determiner because it appears directly before and modifies the noun project.
Ours is a possessive pronoun because it stands in place of a noun phrase such as our project.
How to Use These Questions
Read the entire sentence before classifying a word. Some forms change function depending on context. For example, those is a pronoun when it stands alone but a determiner in a phrase such as those books.
Pay particular attention to possessive forms. Words such as my, your, and their modify nouns, while forms such as mine, yours, and theirs can replace noun phrases.